| Circuit Clerk | Madison County Circuit Clerk |
|---|---|
| Chancery Clerk | Madison County Chancery Clerk |
| Clerk address | Madison County Circuit Clerk: 146 W. Center Street, 1st Floor, Canton, MS 39046 (Circuit Court and elections) and 229 N. Union Street, Canton, MS 39046 (County Court and marriage licenses); mail: P.O. Box 1626, Canton, MS 39046. Madison County Chancery Clerk: 146 W. Center Street, Canton, MS 39046 (mail: P.O. Box 404, Canton, MS 39046). |
| Phone | Circuit Clerk (601) 859-4365; County Court (Circuit Clerk) (601) 855-5540; Chancery Clerk (601) 859-1177 |
| Hours | Confirm current hours with the clerk before visiting |
| Earliest records noted | 2010 |
| Plain copy fee | Circuit clerk: $1.00 per page if the clerk's office makes the copy, $0.25 per page if you make it yourself (Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-13). Chancery clerk: $0.50 per page by the clerk's staff, $0.25 per page self-service (§ 25-7-9) |
| Certified copy fee | Circuit clerk: $2.00 per page for copies the clerk makes and certifies (§ 25-7-13). Chancery clerk: $1.00 per complete document for certification, added to the per-page copy charge (§ 25-7-9) |
Madison County sits just north of Jackson and takes in Ridgeland, Madison, Flora, and the county seat of Canton, where all of the county's courts are clustered within a few blocks of the square. The Madison County Circuit Clerk keeps felony criminal, circuit civil, and County Court records, plus the judgment roll, and splits those duties between two buildings: the Chancery Building at 146 W. Center Street handles Circuit Court criminal and civil files and elections, while "Courthouse B" at 229 N. Union Street handles County Court civil and criminal files and marriage licenses.
The Madison County Chancery Clerk, also at 146 W. Center Street, is a separate elected office that clerks the Chancery Court — divorce, custody, adoption, guardianship, conservatorship, probate, and land disputes — and serves as the county's land-records custodian, treasurer, and auditor. Madison County was the pilot site for Mississippi Electronic Courts (MEC): the chancery clerk's office began testing the statewide e-filing system in 2008, and its page tells the public that most chancery court records from 2010 forward can be viewed through a registered MEC public-access (PAMEC) account. Older chancery case and will indexes, going back to the 1800s, are published as historical index files.
Madison County also has a County Court (two judges) with jurisdiction up to $200,000, eminent domain, unlawful entry and detainer, youth court, and non-capital felonies transferred from Circuit Court; the circuit clerk serves as its clerk. Justice Court, and the municipal courts of Canton, Ridgeland, Madison, and Flora, keep their own misdemeanor and traffic dockets that neither county clerk indexes.
Search Madison County court records online
Circuit Clerk
Madison County Circuit Clerk
- Cost
- $10.00 per name for a civil or criminal records search by the clerk's staff; copies $1.00 per page made by the clerk or $0.25 per page self-made; $1.00 per document to certify a filed document (office fee schedule updated July 2026)
- Coverage
- Circuit Court felony criminal and civil dockets, County Court civil and criminal files, Youth Court (confidential), the judgment roll, and marriage licenses
- Records
- Civil, Criminal
Two locations — 146 W. Center Street (Circuit Court criminal and civil, elections) and 229 N. Union Street (County Court and marriage licenses). The office page links a fee schedule but no county-run case search; case documents are viewed through a paid MEC/PAMEC account or requested from the clerk.
Chancery Clerk
Madison County Chancery Clerk
- Cost
- Free land-records index search; copy and certification fees apply; MEC/PAMEC account (fee) needed to view chancery case documents online
- Coverage
- Chancery Court cases (divorce, custody, adoption, guardianship, conservatorship, probate, land title) and the county's official land records
- Records
- Family, Probate
The office's page states that members of the public may register with MEC and access most chancery court records from 2010 forward, and it publishes historical chancery case indexes (1871-2009) and will indexes (1829-2009) for older matters. Located at 146 W. Center Street; mail to P.O. Box 404, Canton, MS 39046.
Other courts
Madison County Official Records (DuProcess land-records search)
- Cost
- Free basic index search; fees for certified copies and optional subscription features
- Coverage
- Documents recorded in the chancery clerk's Official Records books — deeds, deeds of trust, plats, liens — searchable by grantor/grantee name, instrument, or legal description
- Records
- Probate
Land records only; it is not a chancery or circuit court case docket. The clerk states the online index is informational and not an official or certified record.
Other courts
Mississippi Electronic Courts — PAMEC public registration
- Cost
- Paid account (annual registration fee plus per-page charge; see the statewide MEC entry on the Mississippi page)
- Coverage
- Filed documents and docket entries for Madison County Chancery Court (most records from 2010 forward, per the chancery clerk) and other Madison County courts on MEC
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Probate
This is the registration/login portal the Madison County Chancery Clerk links for public access to court records. It is a statewide system, not a county site.
What is available online
Madison County does not run its own free case-docket search for either clerk. Chancery Court documents from about 2010 forward are viewable through a paid Mississippi Electronic Courts public-access (PAMEC) account, which the chancery clerk's page links directly; the same MEC system carries the county's circuit and county court filings, though the circuit clerk's page does not describe its own coverage dates. Free online material is limited to the chancery clerk's land-records index, subdivision plats, federal tax liens, delinquent-tax lookups, and downloadable historical chancery case and will indexes. The circuit clerk charges $10.00 per name for a staff-run civil or criminal records search, so a self-service PAMEC search can be cheaper for a single case lookup. Justice Court offers only online citation payment, not a docket search.
Which clerk has your record
In Mississippi, the clerk who keeps a file depends on which court heard the case. Check the court name on the case notice, citation, or order, then use the office and coverage details above to identify the record holder. Court names and responsibilities differ by state; a county clerk may not keep court case files. For federal cases, see the PACER guide. The full court structure is on the Mississippi page.
| Court | Typical cases | Records kept by |
|---|---|---|
| Chancery Court | Divorce, child custody, and support; Adoption and guardianship; Probate of wills and estate administration | Chancery Clerk of the county |
| Circuit Court | Felony criminal cases; Civil suits above the county court's jurisdictional limit; Appeals from county, justice, and municipal court | Circuit Clerk of the county |
| County Court | Civil cases within a set dollar limit; Misdemeanors referred from circuit or justice court; Eminent domain and some youth court matters | Circuit Clerk of the county (County Court is a division the circuit clerk also serves) |
| Justice Court | Misdemeanors; Small claims and civil cases up to the justice-court limit; Traffic citations issued by the sheriff's office | Clerk of the Justice Court |
| Municipal Court | Misdemeanors within city limits; City ordinance violations; Traffic tickets issued by city police | Municipal court clerk for that city |
Request records in person or by mail
Madison County clerk offices
Madison County Circuit Clerk: 146 W. Center Street, 1st Floor, Canton, MS 39046 (Circuit Court and elections) and 229 N. Union Street, Canton, MS 39046 (County Court and marriage licenses); mail: P.O. Box 1626, Canton, MS 39046. Madison County Chancery Clerk: 146 W. Center Street, Canton, MS 39046 (mail: P.O. Box 404, Canton, MS 39046).
Phone: Circuit Clerk (601) 859-4365; County Court (Circuit Clerk) (601) 855-5540; Chancery Clerk (601) 859-1177
Contact details were taken from the office's website and are re-checked on a schedule; confirm hours before visiting.
Circuit and County Court records (criminal, civil, judgment roll). Visit or write the Circuit Clerk. Circuit Court files are at 146 W. Center Street, 1st Floor, Canton; County Court files and marriage records are at 229 N. Union Street. Mail requests go to P.O. Box 1626, Canton, MS 39046. Give the case number or the party names and approximate year, say whether you want a plain or certified copy, and enclose payment: $10.00 per name if you need the staff to search the index, $1.00 per page for copies the clerk makes, and $1.00 per document for certification, per the office's July 2026 fee schedule. Call (601) 859-4365 to confirm the total and ask about return postage.
Chancery Court records (divorce, custody, probate, guardianship, land disputes). Contact the Chancery Clerk at 146 W. Center Street, Canton (mail: P.O. Box 404, Canton, MS 39046; phone 601-859-1177). For cases from roughly 2010 forward you can instead register for a PAMEC account and pull the documents yourself. For older matters, use the historical chancery case index (1871-2009) or will index (1829-2009) published on the clerk's page to find the cause number, then request the file.
Land records. Search the free DuProcess official-records index online; certified copies of recorded instruments can be ordered through the same portal or from the counter.
Justice and municipal court records. Justice Court misdemeanors, traffic tickets, and small claims are kept by the Justice Court clerk; Canton, Ridgeland, Madison, and Flora municipal courts keep their own city dockets. None of these appear in the circuit or chancery clerk's records.
Fees
| Item | Typical cost in Mississippi |
|---|---|
| Plain copy | Circuit clerk: $1.00 per page if the clerk's office makes the copy, $0.25 per page if you make it yourself (Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-13). Chancery clerk: $0.50 per page by the clerk's staff, $0.25 per page self-service (§ 25-7-9) |
| Certified copy | Circuit clerk: $2.00 per page for copies the clerk makes and certifies (§ 25-7-13). Chancery clerk: $1.00 per complete document for certification, added to the per-page copy charge (§ 25-7-9) |
Copy fees are set by statute and differ by office: Miss. Code Ann. Section 25-7-13 governs circuit clerks and Section 25-7-9 governs chancery clerks. Some clerks post their own schedules (for example, Madison County's circuit clerk charges $10.00 per name for a staff-run records search and $1.00 per document for certification). Both statutes are amended periodically, so confirm the current amount with the clerk before sending payment.
Need a copy an agency will accept? See how to get certified copies of court records.
Sealed and restricted records
Mississippi court records are open to the public unless a statute or court order restricts them:
The Mississippi guide lists every category of sealed and restricted record, and our guide to expunging or sealing a criminal record explains how to remove one from public view.
Frequently asked questions
Can I look up Madison County court cases online for free?
Not through a county-run tool. Madison County's clerks point the public to Mississippi Electronic Courts, which requires a paid PAMEC account. The free online offerings are the chancery clerk's land-records index and historical case indexes, which help you find a cause number but do not show the documents.
Which Madison County office has my divorce or estate file?
The Madison County Chancery Clerk at 146 W. Center Street in Canton. Divorce, custody, adoption, guardianship, conservatorship, and probate are Chancery Court matters and are not in the circuit clerk's criminal or civil index.
Why does the Madison County Circuit Clerk have two addresses?
Circuit Court criminal and civil files (and elections) are handled at the Chancery Building, 146 W. Center Street, while County Court files and marriage licenses are handled at Courthouse B, 229 N. Union Street. Both are in Canton and both are run by the same elected circuit clerk.
How much does a copy of a Madison County court record cost?
The circuit clerk's posted schedule lists $1.00 per page for copies made by the office, $0.25 per page if you make them yourself, $1.00 per document for certification, and $10.00 per name for a staff records search. Chancery clerk copy fees follow the separate chancery fee statute; confirm with that office before mailing payment.
Sources
- Madison County Circuit Clerk — https://www.madison-co.com/elected-offices/circuit-clerk
- Madison County Circuit Clerk — Office Locations — https://www.madison-co.com/circuit-clerk-office-locations
- Madison County Circuit Clerk — Fee Schedule (PDF, updated July 2026) — https://www.madison-co.com/sites/default/files/circuit_clerk_fees_updated_7202026.pdf
- Madison County Chancery Clerk — https://www.madison-co.com/elected-offices/chancery-clerk
- Madison County Chancery Clerk — Contact Us — https://www.madison-co.com/elected-offices/chancery-clerk/contact-us
- Madison County Court Systems — County Court — https://www.madison-co.com/court-systems/county-court
- Madison County Official Records search (DuProcess) — http://records.madison-co.com/DuProcesswebinquiry
- State of Mississippi Judiciary — MEC General Information — https://courts.ms.gov/mec/GeneralInformation.php
- Mississippi Electronic Courts (MEC) — https://courts.ms.gov/mec/mec.php
- MEC — PAMEC (Non-Attorney) Terms and Conditions — https://courts.ms.gov/mec/Non-attorney%20Terms%20and%20Conditions.pdf
- Mississippi Supreme Court and Court of Appeals docket/opinion search — https://courts.ms.gov/appellatecourts/docket/login.php
- Mississippi Department of Public Safety — Criminal Information Center — https://www.dps.ms.gov/investigation/criminal-information-center
- Mississippi DPS Personal Background Check — https://www.ms.gov/dps/background_check
- Miss. Code Ann. Section 99-19-71 — Expunction (via Justia Mississippi Code) — https://law.justia.com/codes/mississippi/title-99/chapter-19/in-general/section-99-19-71/
- Miss. Code Ann. Section 25-7-13 — Circuit clerk fees (via Justia Mississippi Code) — https://law.justia.com/codes/mississippi/title-25/chapter-7/section-25-7-13/
- Miss. Code Ann. Section 25-7-9 — Chancery clerk fees (via Justia Mississippi Code) — https://law.justia.com/codes/mississippi/title-25/chapter-7/section-25-7-9/
- Miss. Code Ann. Section 25-7-13 — Circuit clerk fees (via FindLaw) — https://codes.findlaw.com/ms/title-25-public-officers-and-employees-public-records/ms-code-sect-25-7-13/
- Miss. Code Ann. Section 25-7-9 — Chancery clerk fees (via FindLaw) — https://codes.findlaw.com/ms/title-25-public-officers-and-employees-public-records/ms-code-sect-25-7-9/
- Mississippi Ethics Commission — The Public Records Act — https://www.ethics.ms.gov/thepublicrecordact
See also: all Mississippi counties.